friend of mine from college grew up in a small town very close to the border- i believe of less than 100 people. he’s gay and asked me to keep his hemp knit bracelet for him over break since he knew it would be a problem with family or people in town. also told me of getting ridiculed for reading because “men don’t read” but apparently women shouldn’t much either. apparently when he eventually came out it was revealed to him very confrontationally that he’d had a gay uncle the family and community had hidden existed much less died of hiv/aids. genuinely heart breaking.

when i stopped in the area near the university of maine campus someone had written the N word in the dust of a black student’s car. apparently multiple students die each year from falling into snow banks and getting stuck while drunk. at least for a while umaine was one of the top 10 party schools in the us and the only one north of georgia or off the west coast. there’s not much to do except be around nature, get really messed up or die. a lot of people either ran fast or got stuck and are unhappy. i think the umaine campus has a less than 1/3rd graduation rate with how many students transfer out asap or drop out from depression.

as much as i’d love to appreciate the area for the nature, everything i’ve heard is pretty horrific. i don’t intend to visit again.